Warrior Queens and Cranky Unicorns
by Peterkin's Gun
Summary: One hundred years into Youko's rule, and the kingdom of Kou is still without a monarch.
1. Chapter 1

_In late winter of the hundredth year of Sekishi, being the Era of Red Happiness, a scourge of demons attacked the kingdom of Kei from its ailing neighbor, Kou. The Glory-King known as Sekishi rallied her great army to beat back the incursions, and in her compassion called for aid for Kou and a search for its new monarch. So strong was the love of the people of Kei for their Glory-King that succor poured into Kou like rain. Though Kourin, minister of Kou, still resided on Mount Houzan, outriders and messengers flew from Goldenwave Palace to bring news of the search for Kou's King to the far reaches of the Glory-King's realm. Thus, in the spring of the hundredth year of Yoko Sun-Child's rule, did the quest to find Kou's monarch begin. __**–The Red Book of Kei**_

* * *

Spring in Kei was warm and sticky, not hot enough for true summer but too humid for fall. Clothes stuck to their wearers' bodies with damp determination, and it was such a disturbing experience to peel them off the skin that most people gave up and walked around in as little as possible. The elders complained mightily at this breach of propriety, but in this case the younger set smiled, nodded, and went on doing exactly what they'd done in the first place.

The Red King of Kei and her minister were certainly no exception to this generational conflict, Keiki reflected sourly. No matter that his King had proven herself more than capable over the hundred golden years of her rule; sometimes, he still felt like a harping grandfather put in charge of a willful toddler. Only this morning had Yoko appeared at breakfast wearing only soldier's breeches and a tunic with the sleeves cut away from the shoulder, leaving her arms naked for the world to see. "It's called a tank top, Keiki," she'd said, and rolled her eyes at his glare. "The other soldiers are going shirtless—including the women. Would you have liked me to have done that, instead?"

General Kantai and Enho had hidden their smiles in their breakfast platters as Keiki had admitted defeat. Yoko had smirked and sauntered down to the practice yards to trade blows with common soldiers. The governor of Mai had been kind enough to open up her private training courtyard for Yoko and her kingsmen to spar, but that just meant the provincial soldiers had an excuse to laze about and….ogle…his King's bare arms.

Keiki's brows drew down in a dangerous scowl as he scanned the milling crowd in the center of the walled courtyard. Yoko's fiery hair flashed in the center of the circle of onlookers as she fought with General Kantai, both warriors a blur of motion. The minister's lips thinned and his grip on the balcony railing tightened until his knuckles went white, his gaze locked on his King.

* * *

Yoko gave a mocking grin and spun her practice sword in one hand, catching it by the grip and raising it in good-natured challenge. "You're getting soft, old man," she taunted. "What have _you_ been doing for the last hundred years?"

The General of Kei's armies raised an eyebrow, dropping back into a guard and hefting his spear. Even though he and Yoko were sparring with mere wooden simulations of their usual weapons, it still took three army regulars to lift the carved pole-arm he was handling. "I've been taking dance lessons," he deadpanned, eyeing her stance for an opening. "They tell me I twirl very gracefully."

"Always knew you'd look good in those silk dancing dresses," Yoko chirped, and then she lunged.

Kantai parried her opening salvo with ease, not even shifting his feet as he knocked aside her blows with the wooden spear blade. Yoko changed her approach in an eye blink, spinning with the next parry and sliding underneath his guard. The broad side of her practice blade slammed against his bare ribs before he leapt back, out of range.

"Slippery little thing, aren't you," he panted, and brought the spear shaft whistling in for a blow to her temple. She tucked her chin into her chest as she fell back and rolled away, springing to her feet.

The crowd watching their bout gave a loud cheer. Both combatants ignored the outside noise, circling each other like wary wolves.

Yoko kept her eyes on Kantai's torso, watching the interplay of muscles in his chest as he shifted. She reached out with one mental finger, nudging the watchful presence in the back of her mind.

_Joyu?_

_**My King.**_

_How am I doing?_

_**Your accuracy has improved since last month, as have your speed and stamina.**_

_And you haven't helped me this whole time?_

_**Not even once.**_

Joyu answered her silent whoop of triumph with a wave of affectionate amusement, then fell back into silence.

"Stay sharp!" Kantai warned. "You're not quite good enough to daydream during a fight." The shift of his arm muscles was followed a scant second after by his lunge. The tip of the wooden blade twisted in the air as he stabbed at her stomach. It was fast. Too fast for her to parry or dodge. Too low for her to duck under. So that left…

"Hup!" She leapt straight up, tucking her knees into her chest as his strike passed below her. Kantai overbalanced as the blade cut through the air where she'd been just seconds before, and Yoko landed on the part of the shaft just below the spear hilt and ran _up_ it; Kantai was forced to use his own strength to hold her weight or risk having the pole-arm dragged out of his hands.

His eyes widened as she got in range and leapt at him, feet thudding into his chest with enough force to knock him onto his back. They went down in a tangle of limbs—or rather, Kantai toppled like a tree and grabbed her ankle to drag her down with him. Swiftly, to avoid getting pulled to the ground in a grappling match she was sure to lose, she swung her free foot around and kicked his wrist.

Kantai grunted as his grip broke and rolled, knocking her off balance. He planted one foot in her gut and pushed, sending her flying into the air. Ignoring her suddenly very aerial view of the courtyard, Yoko gritted her teeth and arched her arms over her head. As she fell groundward she slapped her palms in the dirt and sprang into a controlled flip

"That's two out of four matches I've won," she said once she'd gotten her feet back under her. She buffed her nails on her shirt and inspected them in ostentatious boredom. "Ready for a another round?"

"Unfortunately, we have received documents that require the King's personal attention," a very familiar voice broke in. "Which will not be a problem for her to attend to now, seeing as how she spent the entire morning practicing with General Kantai--who I am certain has more important business to attend to."

Yoko's shoulders were slumping before she even turned around to face the speaker. "But, Keiki…_more_ court orders?"

With his long blond hair, fierce scowl, and overall state of clothedness, her kirin stood out among the grinning soldiers like a white rose in a wildflower field. "Yes, Your Highness. More court orders. The governor of Mai has kindly lent us her office for the day. Would you want to waste this productive opportunity?"

"Productive," she muttered darkly, turning to offer a bow to a smirking Kantai to conclude the match. "The clerks we brought along could finish those orders in a fraction of the time I take, Keiki. You just don't like seeing me surrounded by sweaty, half-naked soldiers."

"It is _rather_ inappropriate," Keiki admitted, not batting an eyelash. "But these particular documents require your personal seal. My apologies, Kei-Ou."

"Feh." Yoko threw her hands up in disgust and handed her practice sword to a passing servant, nodding in thanks. She turned and started to make her way through the courtyard, her minister following a step behind. "We came to Mai to help with the demon attacks, not to take over Governor Tsuru's office. We could have easily done this "paperwork" back at Goldenwave Palace."

Now that their leaders had stopped being interesting, the soldiers started separating into different parts of the training yard. Their movements were organized and swift, but they still paused whatever they were doing to offer deep bows to Keiki and his King as they passed.

The kirin eyed her sidelong as she nodded in acknowledgment to a passing cavalrywoman. "A valid point, Kei-Ou, but it was possible to dispatch only the Kingsmen to Mai to assist the Governor. There was no requirement that you come in person with Kantai."

She winced. "True, but—"

"Your Highness!" a slim girl wearing just soldier's breeches and a breast band waved and jogged over to them. Behind her, Yoko could hear Keiki clear his throat at this close-up example of improper nudity.

"Commander Sen!" Yoko smiled warmly at the girl as she clasped her callused hand in greeting. "You made it to Mai safely, I see. When did you arrive?"

Sen gave a theatrical groan. "We got in this morning, Highness. It was horrible—roads all clogged, inns full up…trials and tribulations the whole way! I had to take my squad camping into the mosquito infested night. Horrendous, really. I didn't get my beauty sleep and was forced to brush my shiny locks using just a horse comb."

Yoko fought to keep a straight face. "Your sacrifices for Kei will not go unnoticed, Commander. General Kantai will be especially unsympathetic to your plight."

"He just does not understand the pain I go through," Sen replied with equal solemnity. "I bet the mosquitoes don't even affect him. They bounce off his iron hide."

"Sen!" General Kantai called from across the courtyard, where he was surrounded by a group of officers. He was frowning. "When did your squad get in? Why didn't you report to me?"

Sen turned and threw a crisp salute at the scowling man, an insolent grin on her face. "But I _did, _dearest General," she crowed. "Went straight up to see you in the main hall, I did, but then what did Lord Enho and the illustrious Governor tell me? That your honorable self was being beaten into the ground by our Sekishi, our Red King, our glorious Sun-Child--who is also _half your size and weight._"

Yoko shook her head and left them to it, a smirk tugging at her lips. Behind her, Keiki gave an almost imperceptible huff. "I do not understand why that girl is second-in-command of Kei's armies," he muttered. "Should she ever have to stand in for General Kantai during a time of crisis, I have the feeling she would accidentally set the kingdom on fire."

"Who, Sen?" Yoko glanced over her shoulder at the young woman, who had made her way over to Kantai's group and was now punching the tall general companionably in the ribs. "She'll surprise you, I'm sure--she hasn't been second-in-command for fifty years for _nothing_. Kantai trusts her with his life, as do all the soldiers."

"One does not join the military because one is _intelligent_," Keiki shot back, and tucked his hands into his trailing sleeves with a grimace.

"Spoken like a true pacifist."

When they entered the main hall and the clamor and hubbub of the training yards faded away, Keiki drew even with her. "How goes the search?" Yoko murmured.

"We rounded up one thousand hopefuls and took them to Houzan. Kourin passed over them all."

She sighed, unsurprised. "How long will Kou's torment continue, Keiki? It is like Tentei delights in grinding its people into the dust."

"The new King of Kou will be chosen when it is the correct time for him or her to be chosen. Besides taking potential candidates and parading them in front of Kourin like horses at a prize show, there is nothing we can do." The corners of Keiki's eyes tightened.

Yoko brushed her fingers along her minister's sleeve, silent apology and reassurance that he acknowledged with a nod and a tired smile.

When she saw the horde of courtiers waiting for them at the end of the long corridor, Yoko groaned and squared her shoulders. "Another day," she muttered, and strode forward.

"Your Majesty!" a man in armor pushed through the perfumed, silk-clad crowd and fell to his knees in front of her, panting. Blood stained his undertunic where something had clawed through the chainmail on his right shoulder. "A demon pack has fallen upon the town of Kino! The guardsmen are overwhelmed!"

A shocked silence descended on the murmuring crowd. Yoko caught a guardsman's eye and he nodded, signaling his colleagues to start moving the bureaucrats out of the way. Someone ran for a doctor.

"How many?" she asked the kneeling soldier.

"Three score," the man gasped out. "The Kino garrison houses only half that number."

Yoko glanced at Keiki. He glared back. King and kirin locked in a silent battle of wills.

Finally, Keiki sighed. "Take Hankyo with you, at least."

She nodded and turned away, hurrying for the stables. "Someone send for General Kantai!"

"Kei-Ou?" the General caught up with her as she burst through the doors, buckling on his sword.

"Organize your best battalion. We fly to Kino within the hour."


	2. Chapter 2

Kei-Ou glanced back at her from on top of one of the Taiho's fanged, flying beasts (Hankyo, she remembered it being called), her brow creased with concern. "Should you be coming with us, Commander? You rode into Mai just an hour ago—"

"Nonsense," Sen replied cheerfully as she swung herself into the saddle of her own mount. "You called for General Kantai's best battalion, Kei-Ou, so here I am. Leading General Kantai's best battalion." She grinned up into her King's eyes and turned her attention back to tightening the straps of her armored vest, effectively cutting off the conversation.

Kei-Ou was a worrier, like Kantai; a wonderful trait in a leader, since it meant they left nothing up to chance, but less than convenient when one of them started getting worked up over silly things like their subordinates getting less than eight hours of sleep before charging into battle. Sen and her squad had ridden hard to get here, but it was no matter. They'd ridden hard before; it would take much more than that to keep them from fighting beside their King.

Yes, it was best to head Kei-Ou off at the start, before she could do something silly like order Sen to stay at the Governor's estate and _recover_ while she put her royal self in danger fighting hordes of slavering demons.

"Oh look," Sen said loudly when Kei-Ou made a sound like she was going to protest. "There's General Kantai. Looks like we're ready to go, then." She made room for the man as he took his place at Kei-Ou's side and twisted around in her saddle.

"Kingsmen!" Sen bellowed at the ranks of mounted soldiers behind her. "We fly for Kino! For your King, and the good people of Kei!"

The battalion gave a thunderous cheer that shook the walls of the estate; as Sen turned back around in her saddle Kantai raised his hand in clear signal. The soldiers took off with a raucous beat of wings and the clatter of weapons and armor, raising a clamor that accompanied them up and above the tallest tower of the estate.

Once they'd cleared the first cloud layer and swung west in a broad semi-circle, Kei-Ou drew even with Sen. The King's green eyes, subject of many a romantic song and play, were narrowed in exasperated amusement. "You know," she started, close enough to Sen that she didn't have to raise her voice over the wind, "generally, my subjects are _grateful_ when I worry about their health and wellbeing."

"Generally," Kantai deadpanned, reining his kitsuryou in towards the two women, "our Kings are sensible enough not to go charging straight into danger. Think about the state of our health and wellbeing _then_, Kei-Ou."

Hankyo snorted. Sen turned away and studiously adjusted her sword belt, grinning at the spluttering sounds Kei-Ou was making at Kantai.

Strange, really, that she'd grown close enough to a King and her General to even think of bantering like this. If, a mere fifty years ago, someone had told Sen she'd be second-in-command of one of the most unorthodox armies of one of the most unorthodox kingdoms in the world, she'd have laughed herself sick. And, possibly, have bought that person a soothing drink.

Fate had an odd sense of humor.

Although Governor Koukan's appointment to Chousai had eliminated the corruption and political machinations in the royal court, Kei's outlying provinces had been slow to respond to the Red King's radical reforms. The government officials in the kingdom's farthest reaches had grown accustomed to autonomy, and had not taken kindly to their new lady-king's ascendancy. Governor Fuutai of Juouu Province, a man used to the luxurious lifestyle that beggaring his subjects afforded him, had no qualms continually flaunting the new monarch's orders. After all, if the Prophet had been so incompetent, why should her successor (another young woman) have been any different?

Sen had been one of the citizens of Juouu who had rebelled against Fuutai's reign, fighting for the promise of freedom and hope that the Red King stood for. Fuutai, arrogant to the last, had done nothing to stop the pleas for help that the rebels sent to Gyouten; even after messengers from the Red King arrived, pledging support for the upstart citizens of Juouu, Fuutai had simply declared that it would be impossible for the Red King to aid the rebels if there were no rebels left by the time she arrived.

Fuutai had waged a brutal war against his own subjects, razing whole towns and cities in his attempt to break the rebels' spirits. Sen had been part of the rebel army sent to Juouu's capital city in a last-ditch, desperate attempt to buy time.

The battle had been fierce, harsh, brutal-by the time the Royal Army had arrived, the commander of the rebels had been killed in a cavalry charge and Fuutai himself had ridden out onto the field to gloat over an impending victory.

Sen thought she'd never seen anything as beautiful as the red-and-black colors of the kingsmen descending on Fuutai's army-that was, until one of those kingsmen landed his mount in front of her, pulled off his helmet to let a wave of crimson hair tumble down his back, and held out a surprisingly delicate hand in greeting. "Are you alright?" he'd asked in a melodious voice.

Sen had gaped like a landed fish.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" The redhead kingsman had given a wry grin. "Name's Youko Nakajima. King of Kei."

And that was how Sen met the Warrior Queen of Kei: a woman with an easy smile, a skilled sword-arm, and an ironclad devotion to her kingdom and subjects; a woman for whom Sen, with little to no thought or hesitation, would gladly sacrifice her life to defend.

A woman who also, unfortunately, liked to fling herself headlong into pitched battles and give those who cared for her (The minister of Kei, the whole _kingdom _of Kei, the ruler and minister of En...the list went on) a collective heart attack.

"You're thinking at me again," someone said, and Sen pulled herself back to the present to find the subject of her ruminations peering at her in alarm. "It's never good when someone does that. Usually Keiki gets that same look on his face right before he takes the Water Monkey Sword away from me and makes me review documents from the Ministry of Agriculture."

"Kei-Ou," Sen began, refusing to be distracted by the mental image of the Saiho grabbing Kei-Ou's sword from her hands like a parent taking a child's favorite toy. "Your court is in its golden age. Your officials worship you and your people adore you. Your Generals are all loyal to a fault. We will never disobey you, or keep you from joining us in battle-but why, Kei-Ou? Why fight alongside your subjects instead of directing the flow of battle from the palace?"

Kantai and Kei-Ou exchanged amused glances. "This isn't the first time I've been asked that," the red-haired woman told Sen. "And I doubt it'll be the last. The people of Kei rely on me, Commander. Most I will never meet, but every one of them knows the kingdom rises and falls on my worth. It is easy-frighteningly so-for a ruler to forget that her people are more than numbers or faceless pawns. Every soldier I send out has a family, hopes and fears-it's nothing at all like chess, where it's just pieces on a board you can sacrifice."

"Chess?"

Kei-Ou waved a gauntleted hand dismissively. "A game from the world I came from. But, Sen-" Her gaze turned serious. "Every time I send out warriors to fight, I know that some of them won't come back. That is why I head to the front-so I will never forget the terror of battle, and never forget that the forces I command are more than the weapons they wield. It is the least I can do for my kingdom."

Sen bowed her head, brow creased in thought. "I understand, Kei-Ou. You are truly a wise and capable ruler."

Kei-Ou, to Sen's surprise, turned bright red. "Oh, no-I hate when people say that, it's just-"

Kantai snickered. "The thing you have yet to learn, Commander," he drawled, looking over his shoulder at Sen, "Is that our King still hasn't yet grasped how to take a compliment. It's quite entertaining."

"I hate you all," Kei-Ou muttered, and tugged her helmet down over her face.

Any reply that Sen could have made was interrupted by a clarion call of a trumpet. Kino loomed large in the distance, a dark mass of brick buildings surrounded by sturdy city walls. There was the rattle of weapons as the kingsmen readied themselves; for a moment, the only sound among the company was the flapping of the red and black pennants.

Then Kantai turned and grinned at Kei-Ou, hectic battle-light in his eyes. "Are you ready for this?"

Kei-Ou drew her sword and smiled.


End file.
